Congenica Achieves ISO 27001 and NHS IGT Accreditation

News Jan 18, 2016

ISO 27001 is a widely adopted global security standard that sets out requirements and best practices for a comprehensive approach to managing company and customer information. Systematic risk assessments, data encryption, and robust data backup procedures are used to meet the standard and maintain the security and privacy of customers’ data. This important milestone enables Congenica to provide services to public sector organisations, such as the NHS and Genomics England, in the handling of genetic and genomic data.

The NHS has developed its own set of information governance principles to ensure a consistent approach to the management of personal data. Organisations working with the NHS who process patient data within its secure N3 network are required to meet these IGT requirements. With the rapid adoption of Congenica’s Sapientia™ genomic software by NHS diagnostic laboratories, Congenica is pleased to be able to offer them the highest level of information and data security.

Nick Lench, COO comments: “The analysis and storage of genetic information is a deeply personal and sensitive subject that Congenica treats very seriously; we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of security and confidentiality to ensure the trust of all our stakeholders.”

More information on Congenica's security and compliance can be found here -
http://www.congenica.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/Congenica-Security-and-Compliance-Update-December-2015.pdf

Mechanism Controlling Multiple Sclerosis Risk Identified

News

Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have now discovered a new mechanism of a major risk gene for multiple sclerosis (MS) that triggers disease through so-called epigenetic regulation. They also found a protective genetic variant that reduces the risk for MS through the same mechanism.

Synthetic DNA Shuffling Enzyme Outpaces Natural Counterpart

News

A new synthetic enzyme, crafted from DNA rather than protein, flips lipid molecules within the cell membrane, triggering a signal pathway that could be harnessed to induce cell death in cancer cells. Researchers say their lipid-scrambling DNA enzyme is the first in its class to outperform naturally occurring enzymes – and does so by three orders of magnitude

Antarctic Worm and Machine Learning Help Identify Cerebral Palsy Earlier

News

A research team has released a study in the peer-reviewed journal BMC Bioinformatics showing that DNA methylation patterns in circulating blood cells can be used to help identify spastic cerebral palsy (CP) patients. The technique which makes use of machine learning, data science and even analysis of Antarctic worms, raises hopes for earlier targeted CP therapies.